The Sun. — London, England, 1864-03-09 00:00:00

I MPERIAL PARLIAMEN HOUSE OF LORDS—Last Evening. The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at fire o'clock. THE DANO-GERMAN WAR. The Earl of DERBY, without wishing to raise a dis cussion, or to offer any remarks upon the question, wished to ask the noble earl the Secretary of Foreign Affairs if it was the intention of her Majesty's Government to give any information to Parliament of a later date than that given by the correspondence already published. Events were succeeding one another so rapidly as to cause the greatest anxiety in the public mind. Earl RUSSELL reminded the noble earl that Austria and Prussia had refused to accede to proposals made to them by the other European powers, and had engaged in a most unjustifiable war, and he considered the Danish Govern ment quite justified in resisting the demands made upon them, He did not think, in the present condition of affairs, that it would be fur the public advantage that all correspon dence that had taken place in each step of the negotiations, illustrative of the conrac of events and the conduct of her 3lajesty's Government, should be published, At the end of the week her Majesty's Government expect to receive the reply of the Danish Government in answer to the invitation to the Congress. When that answer had been received there would be a break in the negotiations, and that would be a favourable opportunity for making known the progress that had been made up to that time. He hoped that when the answer of the belligerents had been obtained, if that decision were favourable, there would be little difficulty in obtaining the assent of France, Russia, and Sweden to an invitation to going into consi • deration of the question in the proposed congress. Earl DERBY asked the noble earl if he could say, for certain, whether the papers would be laid on the table pre vious to the Easter recess. Earl RUSSELL said the clerks in the Foreign-office had been so hardworked, in consequence of the number of papers required of them, that he could not promise the papers would be in the possession of their lordships before the Easter holidays, Lord STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE hoped that her Majesty's Government would be in a position before the adjournment for the Easter holidays to state definitely what course they intended to pursue with respect to the whole question. In reply to farther questions from the Earl of ELLEN. BOROUGH, Earl RUSSELL said he believed that Austria and Prussia would require some modification to be made in the treaty of 1852, but what they wished precisely it was im possible for the Government to say. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Anglesey Central Railway Bill was read a third time and passed. SIR J. LAWRENCE'S SALARY BILL. 1 his bill passed through committee, and was reported without amendment. STEERING AND PROPELLING STEAM SHIPS. The Earl of HARDWICKE presented a petition from ➢lr. W. J. Curtis on the subject of propelting and steering steam ships by an improvement of his own. The noble earl read a number of testimonials relative to the efficiency of his inventions and concluded by asking the Government to state the grounds that led to its rejection by the Govern ment. The Duke of SOMERSET said the two eminent autho rities to which he had referred the invention had come to a conclusion adverse to the merits of the invention, and, therefore, he did not feel justified in put ting the country to the expense of making a trial, but he had placed a vessel at the service of Mr. Curtis, and the improved rudder had been fitted to her at his expense. When, however, the trial took place, the ordinary gunboat completely triumphed over the vessel fitted with the improved rudder. The inventor afterwards said that there had been a combined opposition against him, and having been attacked by everybody, said the Admiralty had acted with great injustice towards him. He c )nsidered that is what had taken place the utmost fairness had been awarded to Mr. Curtis. THE SECRETARY OF THE POST-OFFICE. Lord TRURO asked her Majesty's Postmaster-General whether the rumour of Sir Rowland Hill's resignation was well founded, and if so whether he had any objection to state the circumstances under which it took place. Lord STANLEY of ALDE RLEY said it was true Sir Rowland Hill had resigned his office in the Post-office in consequence of ill health. He was sure their lordships would agree with him that the withdrawal from the public service of so eminent a person was a great and serious loss to the country. THE AUSTRIAN FLEET. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY rose to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he could give the house any information respecting the movements of the Austrian fleet towards the Baltic. In doing so he vehe mently denounced the conduct of Austria and Prussia, and said that he had never before known the country so deeply stirred as it had been by their wholly unj .stiflable aegres sion upon Denmark. Whether the force the Austrians were sending was great or small, we ought to take moans to re• strict its operations, and, if necessary, to defeLd the inte grity, and he would add the sanctity, of the kinglom of Denmark. E irl RUSSELL said that when her Majesty's Govern ment first heard that Austrian ships were to be sent from the Adriatic, he inquired what was the intention of the Austrian Government, He was first told that it was requi site to protect Austrian ships in the Adriatic and the Medi terranean. He was then told that it was necessary to send two or three Austrian ships to the mouth of the Channel, in order to protect some 160 German ships which were bound from America to the British ports. But within the last two days further rumours had been circulated, and he had re ceived further information. It was stated in the first place that it was not intended to send ships into the Baltic, or even to the Cattegat ; that was the statement of the Austrian Go vernment. But it is said that it was necessary to prevent the Danesblockading the Elbe, and thus inflicting a heavy loss on German commerce. Without venturing to state what course might eventually be pursued by the Austrian Government, he must say that, considering what the Aus trians were, and what the Danes were, far Austria to send a fleet to the north of Europe to protect a nationality op pressed by a foreign race was a course which every true friend of Austria must deplore, (Hear, hear.) The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH wished he could give that credit to the representations of Austria which he would willingly have done three months ago. Bat when he saw her censenting to the invasion of Jutland, and lead ing [her troops to form the siege of Fredericia, after having given us reason to believe that her operations would be confined to the occupation of Schleswig for a special purpose, he was compelled to believe that the Austrian fleet was destined for the Baltic, there to form a junction with the Prussian fleet, and thus to establish a maritime superiority in addition to the military superiority which they already possessed. That would involve the fall of both Duppel and Fredericia, and the consequent loss to Denmark of the islands of Alsen and Ftmen. It would in fact amount to the sacrifice of the integrity of Denmark. He would ask the noble lord whether he would stand by and see that atrocity perpetrated upon a weak Power only because she was weak. This was a war against Denmark in the spirit of the partition of Foland—in the spirit of the war of the League of Cambrai. It was a league of great Powers for the destruction of small ones. What was done to-day in the can of Denmark might be done to-morrow in the case of Holland. Should we stand that ? It might next be attempted in the case of Belgium. Was this to be per mitted ? Was there no point at which we should consider it essential to the honour and dignity of England to protect the weak Powers against the strong ? He was told that in ten days Parliament would be prorogued for three weeks, during which the Government would be deprived of the support of Parliament. He did not think they should separate 'without assuring her Majesty that they would sup port her is any steps she might deem necessary for secur ing the maintenance of the independence and integrity of Denmark. By the time they met again, in four weeks from the present time, that might have been done that never could be undone. We might have witnessed the destruc tion of a noble nation which we could have prevented, but that, from weak and pusillanimous motives, we did not dare to do go. (Hoar, and cheers.) Earl GREY had never read an official correspondence with such feelings of humiliation for this country as those with which he had perused the papers relati ng Danish question. H e th oug h t that an opportunity be afforded Parliam en t for expressin g should to this an opinion pi t nion upon the policy pursued by h er M a j esty ' s Government. The Earl of HA RROWB Y thought it absolutesltyrneces sary that the hand s o f th e G overnment shculd be e ned during the East er recess b y a strong and closer exnpgrtehs: sion of the opinion of Parliament. Earl RUSSELL said that surely no noble lord imagined that, having only received the information to which he had alluded That day, he should come down to that house and make declarations which would bind this country and might lead to war. Anything that was to be done must he maturely considered. What her Majesty's Go vernment had done was not only to negotiate, but to leave themselves at liberty to act with other Powers, or if necessary to act alone, if the honour or the paramount interest of England required it. His noble friend (Earl Grey) said that he had read these papers with humiliation. He believed, however, that these papers agreed in spirit with the general spirit of the country. If his noble friend tlioeght that the Government should have acted differently, he could at once move a vote of censure. It he thought the Government should now act differently —that without negotiating, without hearing w h at these Powers had to Fay, we should rush into war— he could move a resolution on that subject. The Go vernment would consult according to their own opinions the honour and interest of England. They would not make war when the integrity and independence of Denmark could be otherwise secured, and they would not neglect any means by which that i ndependence could be secured. With regard to our own fleet, it had, within the last few days, been ordered into on e o f our home ports, in order that it might be within reach and easily at command if it were re quisite to give it any orders, He should certainly not ex pect that any fleet of Austria or Prussia would venture to encounter the fleet of her Majesty. The subject then dropped, and their lordship] adjourned HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening. The SPEAKER took the chair at 4 o'c )ek. LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND S )ITTH COAST RAILWAY (ADDITIONAL POWERS) BILL. On the motion for the second reading of this bill, Mr, TITE said that in his capacity of a trustee of Dul wich College, he felt bound to move as an amendment that this bill be read a second time that day six months. If the bill were agreed to it would have the effect of trenching on a very valuable portion of Dulwich College, and the trustees of that foundation had already afforded sufficient accommodation to the neighbourhood as regarded railway trains, by an arrangement which they had entered into with the two local competing com panies. Notwithstanding that arrangement the London, Brighton, and Dover Company endeavoured to carry out their original plan, although there was no doubt the neigh bourhood of Dulwich had ample railway accommodation. Captain JERVIS seconded the amendment. After some discussion the amendment was negatived, and the bill was read a second time, METROPOLITAN RAILWAY SCHEMES. Mr. MILNER GIBSON called the attention of the house to the report of the Select Committee on Rail way Schemes within the limits of the metropolis, and moved that the following bills be not proceeded with in the present session :—Victoria Station and Thames Embankment Rail way, Oxford-street and City Railway, London Main Trunk Underground Railway, Charing-cross (Northern) Railway, Charing. cross (Western) Railway, Tottenham and Hamp stead Junction Railway (Extension to Charing-cross), London Union Railways, and Tottenham and Farringdon street Railway. That the fees which have been incurred in respect of the said bills be remitted. That the said re port be referred to all select committees to which any rail way bills within the metropolis may be referred. The right hon. gentleman said that the joint committees of both houses had examined evidence, and eliminated out of the mass of metropolitan railway schemes those undertak ings which they considered would be most beneficial to the public as supplying certain necessary links in railway ac commodation to the metropolis. Having referred specially to the Oxford-street Railway, the London Main Trunk Underground Railway, and the Charing-cross Northern lines, he said that some of the schemes to which the com mittee were adverse were shown, according to evidence, to be likely to interfere with the sewerage of the City, and to interrupt the traffic of one of the principal thoroughfares. The principal scheme which the committee approved, in reference to these projected railways, was that which pro posed to connect East and South London by means of the Thames Tunnel, and although he differed with some of his colleagues, he considered that these schemes would be best carried out by private enterprise, subject to the supervision of Parliament. Mr. AYRTON advocated the construction of the London Main Trunk Underground Railway, as connecting two important points of London, and was the only one of the schemes that would afford facilities to the working classes to obtain proper house accommodation in a healthy locality. He concluded by moving an amendment to the effect that certain portions of the lines tending to connect the south and eastern portions of the metropolis should be excluded from the operation of the motion of tho right hcn. gentle man, Mr. M. Gibson. The amendment was negatived without a division. Sir J. PAXTON moved as an amendment to Mr. 111. Gibson's motion, that " The Charing-cross (Western) Railway be omitted from the list of bills which are not to be proceeded with during the present session." Lurd STANLEY vindicated the course which the com mittee, of which he was a member, had taken in respect to their selection of the competing schemes of railways for the metropolis. He contended that unless the house were prepared to deal with the whole question, the only course would be to accept the reports of the committee. Sir J. SHELLEY said that the discussion proved that the House of Comm Gus was not a proper tribunal to deal with the subject of metropolitan railway legislation. The amendment was negatived without a division. Mr. CRAW FO RD then moved the following amendment to the motion of Mr. M. Gibson, that after" Tottenham and Farringdon-street Railway," add, "and so much of the Me tropolitan District Railways Bill, No. 33, as refers to the pro posed works situated to the eastward of Blackfriars-bridge, together with the Metropolitan District Railways Bill, No. 34." He contended that the construction of the underground railway to which his amendment referred would be attended with the greatest obstruction to the traffic of a most impor tant thoroughfare of the metropolis. He did not think that the house was called on to adopt the suggestion of a comnaitteeof gentlemen which more materially affected some of the most valuable property in London. Having referred to the hardships inflicted on some of the humbler classes by being driven out of their dwellings through the construction of railway undertakings in certain districts, he appealed to the house not to sanction the construction of the railway to which he adverted. Mr. TITE seconded the amendment, and considered that the question should be delayed in order to afford more time to investigate the subject. Mr. M. GIBSON reminded the house that the duty of the committee was not to select any of these schemes, but to decide which they considered should not be proceeded with. After a few words from Mr, ROBERTSON against the amendment of Mr, Crawford, The house divided— For the amendment 76 Against Majority —2Ol The amendment was accordingly lost. THE MUTINY ACT. Col. 'NORTH asked the Judge Advocate General if it was his intention to make any alterations in the 162 d and other clauses of the Mutiny Act ; and if so, if he would state the nature of such alterations ? Mr. HEADLAM replied that the Mutiny Bill would go into committee at a later period of the evening, when he would make a further explanation. At present, therefore, he would only state that he did not intend to propose any al terations in the clauses referred to. Col. NORTH—Then I give notice that I shall, when the Mutiny Bill is in committee, move that it be unlawful for the judge advocate general or the deputy judge advocate to take a part in the proceedings of a court. martial, similar to that taken by the deputy judge advocate at the court martial on Colonel Crawley. (Hear, hear.) THE HORSE ARTILLERY. Col. NORTH asked the Under Secretary of State for War if the whole of the increased expenses caused by the new brigade of horse artillery were to be borne by the Horns Government, or to be shared with the Indian Government. And whether it were intended that this augmentation should absorb one of the supernumerary colonels commandant of late Indian artillery ? The Marquis of HARTINGTON replied that the whole expense would devolve upon the imperial revenue. What had taken place, however, was not so much the formation of a new brigade, as the division of the old bri gade of horse artillery, with its 10 batteries, into two brigades, with five batteries each. The additional expense, which had been incurred through the appointment of commissioned and non-commissioned officers, had been met by other re ductions made in other branches of the artillery. The extra expense therefore had been very trifling indeed. In reply to the second question he might state that there were two supernumerary colonels and two supernumerary lieutenant colonels absorbed by the new arrangements on our own, and not on the Indian list. THE CASE OF PAYMASTER SMALES. Sir J. FERGUSSON asked what was the date at which the Queen was recommended by the Judge Advocate Gene ral to confirm the sentence of the Mhow court martial, by which Paymaster Smales was cashiered, and whether her Majesty was advised to confirm that sentence by the Judge Advocate General after consideration of the proceedings of the court martial ; what was the date at which her Majesty was advised to pardon Mr. Smales ? Was the sentence of the court martial confirmed, or had it been overruled, at the date at which the proceedings were laid on the table of the house ? What were the grounds on which the Queen was advised to pardon Mr. Smales after her Majesty had been advised to confirm the sentence by which he had been cashiered, and were those grounds apparent on the face of the proceedings ? Mr. HEADLAM, in reply to the first part of the question, stated that her Majesty never did confirm the Mhow court martial ; but it was confirmed by Sir H. Rose in India, un der the authority he had for that purpose. As to the second question, he had to state that the date was July 13. As to the r o e neat e eo . g u s e io he would state that th e b lue book of the p w st as n l ' aid upon the tabl e on J u l y 3 , long after the n q court martial had been confirmed in India, but before her Majesty was advised to pardon Mr. Smales. As to the last question, he had already mentioned that h er M a j esty did not confirm whichmt rh. e Smiles ad li ens wasg of the court martial ; but th e grounds on pardoned were these-- first, that the trial was not a fair one--(hear)--and partly from the man ner in which the witnesses were arrested and kept in close custody. (Hear.) It was considered that the charges were irregular, it being uncertain what was the precise crime with which he was charged—so that, had the trial taken place in this country, the finding would not have berm con firmed. (Hear, hear.) Sir J. FERGUSSON wished to know whether the pro ceedings of the :dhow court-martial were not submitted to and approved by the right hon. gentleman. Mr. HEADLAM—No; not approved of. The first opinion I gave on the subject was as I just stated. Sir J. FERGUSSON then asked the Under Secretary of State for War whether he would lay upon the table the letter from the 'War -offic e in which the restoration of Mr. Smales to the half pay of his former rank wag authorised or announced ? Whether the accounts of Mr. Smales with the 6th Dragoons had been adjusted? And what previous em hnthtehre hPeuhbad ii°beseenrvirceemohvaeld been p s l m oy a m les en ; t w s and, if so, for what reasons ? any held o f by t t h e l‘ m l r ; . The Marquis of HART INGTON, in reference to the first question, said that after her Majesty had been pleased to pardon Mr. Smales it became the duty of Lord D e Grey to consider wh a t wou ld b e t h e effect of that pardon. The case was referred to the law officers of the Crown, who gav e it as their opinion that, although the pardon did not have the effect of reinstating Mr. Smales in his office as paymaster of the 6th Dragoons, nor give him a claim to be either em ployed or placed upon full pay, it did give him a claim to be restored to the service and placed on half pay. Lord Do Grey acted upon that recommendation. In reply to the next question, he had to state that the accounts of Mr. Smales had not yet been adjusted ; the subject was under discussion between Mr. Smales and the Indian Govern ment. He must mention, however, that the settlement of Mr. Smales's accounts had nothing to do with his restora tion to the service and his being placed on half pay. In reply to the last question, he would state that Mr. Smales, in 1830, was appointed acting ordnance clerk at Sierra Leone. In consequence of a court-martial which took place at that station, and at which Mr. Smales was a witness, he was re moved by order of the governor—Colonel Finley—for hav ing, in his opinion, given false evidence at that court-martial. (Hear, hear.) When Mr. Smales returned he appealed against that order, but he was informed by the Board of Ordnance that the acting appointment which he had held had already terminated, and it was ; therefore, unnecessary to investigate a case which was no longer existing. He was almost immediately afterwards appointed by Lord Hill to an ensigncy in an African corps, by which it might be sup posed that no stigma rested upon his character. He re mained in that corps till 1842, and in 1844 he was appointed paymaster of the 4th Dragoon Guards. He exchanged into the 7th Dragoon Duards in 1845, and sold his commission in 1849. In June, 1854, he was appointed paymaster of the Wilts regiment of Militia, and he was appointed by Lord Panmure chief paymaster of the Turkish Contingent in March, 1855. His services were dispensed with at the con clusion of the Russian war. He was appointed by the right hon. member for Huntingdon (General Peel) paymaster of the Light Dragoons in 1858, and by the same right hon. gentleman was allowed to exchange for the paymastership of the 6th Dragoons. GOVERNMENT TELEGRAMS. Mr. D. GRIFFITH asked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether a despatch from Earl Russell to Lord Bloomfield, at Vienna, of the 18th of January, 1864, to which an answer was returned by Lord Bloomfield, of the date of the 19th January, from Vienna, printed among the Danish papers, was sent by telegraph from this coun try ; and whether the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs would have any objection to direct that, in future, de spatches sent by telegraph should be distinguished from those sent by the ordinary means of communication, in order that the dates of despatches might correspond with the facts of their transmission and answers, and be at once intelligible to members of the house without further ex planation. Mr. LAYARD replied that the despatches were not tele graphed in the same form in which they appeared in the printed papers. They were transmitted briefly in a secret cypher, which was afterwards expanded into a full despatch, In the answer it was always stated whether the despatch it was in reply to was telegraphic or not. In the answer to the very despatch which the hon. gentleman alluded to it is distinctly stated that the despatch was telegraphic. From the very obvious reason that the telegraphic messages were always very short, they could not be produced literally in the original cypher. If it were considered necessary to trans mit a despatch from London to St. Petersburg with the view of receiving an answer on the same day or the day afterwards, it was evident that it must be sent by telegraph. Mr. D. GRIFFITH, with some warmth, complained that the hon. gentleman had not answered the question. He had given notice of that question, and he presumed that the hon. gentleman would have come there to answer it on behalf of his chief. (Hear, hear, and laughter.) Mr. LAYARD said he really did not know whit answer he could again give —(hear, hear)—as it appeared quite im possible to make the hon. gentleman understand. (Loud laughter.) In the answer to the very despatch to which he alluded it was stated that that despatch was sent by telegraph. It would be an insult to the intelligence of hon. members to explain that a despatch, sent to St. Petersburg on the same day, or the day after, must necessarily have been transmitted by telegraph. Mr. D. GRIFFITH again rose, amid cries of " Order," and said—l ask the Under Secretary of State if he is pre pared to give an answer to this question on the part of the Secretary of State, or on the part of himself. (Cries of " Order," amid which the hon. gentleman resumed his seat.) STATEMENTS OF PRINCE GORTSCHAKOFF. Mr. HUNT—I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury for an explanation of a passage which occurs in a despatch from Lord Napier to Earl Russell, dated January 6th, 1864 (No. 644 of the Papers on the Affairs of Denmark, &_t.), in which the following language is attributed to Prince Gorts chakoif " The four Governments (r e., England, Russia, Prussia, and Austria), happily now thinking and acting in harmony on a question still more important than that of Holstein and Schleswig, ought not in this matter to be split into two camps opposing each other." Lord PALMERSTON—I rather conclude that the ques tion to which Prince Gortschakoff alluded must have been . the decisiun of these Governments with regard to the invi tation to attend a ge , .eral European Congress. There was no other question to which he could have referred, or on which any concert was established. If the hon. gentleman wishes to inquire, as I suppose he does, whether there was any combination by those four powers against France, I can assure his there is no ground whatever for any such supposition. (Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") FEES TO PARLIAMENTARY COUNSEL. Colonel W. PATTEN said that he had received a com munication from Mr. Hope Scott in reference to the state ment made the other evening by the right hon. gentleman the President of the Board of Trade, to the effect that for the future counsel appearing before parliamentary commit t- es might do so for a sum nos less than fifteen guineas, correcting that statement, and informing him that for the future the sum required to be paid to parliamentary counsel need not exceed ten guineas. He desired to ask the right hon. gentleman whether he had received any communica• Lion to a similar effect. Mr. M. GIBSON—I have received no such communi cation, but I road a document the other evening, which was put into my hands by an influential member of the parliamentary bar, in which he detailed what he believed to be the understanding arrived at by the body. My hon. and gallant friend says, however, that I made a mistake, and I understood him to say, upon the authority of Mr. Hope Scott, that any counsel is to be permitted to take as little as five guineas upon a retainer, five guineas upon his brief, and that anything beyond that is a matter to be settled between the client and the barrister. Well, that no doubt is a very considerable change, and a very consi derable relief to the suitors before parliamentary committees. (Hear, hear.) But although it is a considerable reduction, and although it is a handsome thing on the part of the bar to make this concession, still I shall not be discharging my duty if I did not state the feelings of those I have been in communication with to be that the parliamentary bar should be regulated by the same rules as to fees as prevail in the ordinary courts of law and equity. (Hear, hear.) THE PLANS OF THE CRAWLEY COURT• MARTIAL. Mr. FORTESCUE—I desire to the Under Secretary of State for War whether, inasmuch as the plans published with the proceedings of the court martial on Col, Crawley are liable to mislead the house, by representing the quarters in which Sergeant-Major Lilley died as containing more than double their actual amount of accommodation, he would object to reconsider his former decision, and allow hon. members an opportunity of inspecting the models. The Marquis of HARTINGTON—I cannot admit that the plans which have been published with the proceedings of the court martial are in any degree calculated to mislead the minds of hon. members. I think that if they will look at the plans in connection with the evidence referring to them, it is impossible that any doubt can arise as to the quarters in which Sergeant-Major Lilley died. The reasons stated by me for not removing the models from the custody of the Judge Advocate remain as btrong as ever ; but, at the same time, I have to state that if any hon. member is not satisfied with the plans produced, my right hon. friend is quite willing to afford him the opportunity of i nspect i ng the models. Having answered that question, the house will allow me to appeal to it, and ask whether hon. members in tend to reopen the trial of Col, Crawley, and to enter into minute details which have been already decided at Aldershot. (Hear, hear.) It was considered by the Government that, as the proceedings in India have been published, and as they were supposed to reflect considerable blame upon Colonel Crawley, it would be most unjust to the gallant officer if the proceedings of the court martial held at Aldershot should not be given as full and as wide circulation as those which were supposed to implicate him so much. The conduct of the Government in ordering the court martial at Aldershot had been the subject of criticism, and the Government were perfectly prepared to afford the house all the materials that could be possibly desired to form a judgment upon the merits of their conduct. But the Government did not ex pect, and I think the house will hardly hold it was right, that when an ample and full investigation has been gone into before the only tribunal competent to form and pro nounce a decision upon the case, it is hardly fair or honour able, or consistent with our notions of fair play, that the evidence should be again revived in this house—(loud cries of " Hear, hear")—and that the country should be invited to arrive at a different conclusion from that already formed. (Hear, hear.) Mr. FORTESCUE—I entreat the house not in any way to prejudge the question of the court martial, or the resolu ti-m which I intend to bring forward. But I beg to ask the judge advocate whether he can explain the circumstances under which an important passage in Dr, Barnett's evidence, (between questions 591 and 592) relative to an alleged cur tain in Sergeant-Major Lilley's second quarters, which ap p-ars in the Times' report of the court martial on the 26th November, 1863, has been omitted in the official report of the proceedings ? Mr. HEADLANI— I have compared the report of the Times newspaper with the original record in my office, and I have to state that the original record is the paper laid be fore the house. I find, however, that there occurs a pas sage in the Times' report of the evidence regarding that which is not in the original record. That passage is as fe ll ows I have no recollection of ever seeing a curtain in Sergeant Major Lilley's second quarters." I cannot say how those words appear in the limes report and not in the official record. THE DANISH PAPERS. Mr. DISRAELI—I rise to put the question, of which I gave notice yesterday, to her Majesty's Government. It relates to the papers respecting the affairs of Denmark, The house is aware that the last, and as I now understand the final, instalment of papers respecting the affairs of Den mark, come up only to the termination of the month of January. Since that period very important transactions and incidents have occurred in these matters. We have had the announcements, for instance, of an armistice, after wards of a conference, and finally, among other matters of moment, the invasion of Jutland. The house will find in the papers before us no official record whatever of these events. The house does not know why the armistice and the conference were proposed—what objects were contem plated in the proposition, and why the proposition failed. What I wish to know from her Majesty's Government is, whether it is their intention to submit further papers on the affairs of Denmark to the house, and if so, how early they will be in the hands of members? (Hear, hear.) Lord PALMERSTON—The only matter which causes delay in presenting further papers is the communicati , ms and negociations now going on with regard to a conference. As soon as these communications are brought to a close, one way or another, which I hope will be in a very short time, further papers will be laid before Parliament, bring ing the correspondence up to the close of the negotiations now going on. THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 9, 1864 , THE E.k.STER RECESS. Lord PALMERSTON—It will be for the convenience of hon. members that I should say we intend to propose to adjourn on Friday the 18th inst. until the following Mon day fortnight for the Easter recess. THE BRITISH PROVIDENT SOCIETY AND THE HON. MEMBER FOR DUDLEY. Mr. 11. B. SHERIDAN—I wish to claim the indul gence of the house while I make a statement of a per sonal nature. I have been reminded that I omitted last evening to reply to one point urged against me by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The right hon. gentleman stated that, some five or six years ago, I was auditor to one of the insurance companies to which he referred, and that in my capacity as auditor—l presume the right hon. gentleman intended to say—l passed accounts that ought not to have been passed. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER—I beg to call the hon. gentleman to order. I never made any such statement. Mr. H. B. SHERIDAN—I am very glad to hear it. But I beg to explain that six years ago I twice acted as auditor to the company in question, and that I then withdrew from the office. That company was then in a position to enable it to meet all its policy obligations—(hear)—and up to this moment it has met all its obligations, and that all its policy holders are secure. Therefore, so far as my connection with that company, wit years ago, the functions I discharged were not discharged with reference to a society which has not been able to meet its obligations. (Hear, hear.) EDUCATION. Mr. ADDERL EY moved the following resolution : " That grants made from the Treasury to schools for the working classes should not, in every case, be reduced by the whole amount of all endowments." After observing that endowments had always been looked upon as local con • tributions, he proceeded to examine the reasons assigned by the Treasury for adopting the principle of excluding endow ments, under the minute of 1863, insisting upon the in justice of the principle. He next showed that the theory of the Treasury broke down in practice, adducing examples; and then indicated the results and consequences of the minute as far as it could be carried out, contending that it was in direct contravention of the original minute. In con clusion he expressed his own opinion as to what was the right course to be adopted in dealing with private endow ments, and suggested that before new minutes of Council on education ware laid before the house their purpose should be explained, after due notice given. The motion was seconded by Mr. F. POWELL, who argued at considerable length in condemnation of the course of action taken by the Government, which, he contended, was not only in contravention of the rules of general policy, but Dpposed to the recommendations of the Charity Com missioners. Lord HENLEY supported the motion, urging the ill effects of the minute upon the Church schools, the managers, masters, and scholars, in the rural districts, where educa tion is almost monopolized by the Church of England. 11 the object of the minute was economy, it was, he said, bad economy; it would have the certain effect of discouraging endowments. Mr. MITFORD, as a manager of a school with a small endowment, protested against the minute as tending to alter and unsettle the arrangements under the Revised Code, to discourage rural schools throughout the country, and to confiscate present and check future endowments. lle suggested an alteration in the wording of the resolution. Mr. BAINES sail the object of the Government was to prevent a waste of public money, and to bring the grants to schools back to the original principle, which was not to supersede but to stimulate voluntary efforts. He read a list of cases of large endowments and Government grants, where the subscriptions were small, and in some instances, nil. Lord R. CECIL observed that the house ought to look at the general principle up )n which these grants were origi nally made. The objects were two ; Parliament desired to a%ist education in districts where the population was poor, and to draw out voluntary contributions. He proceeded to argue that the minute in question was directly opposed to both the objects which Parliament had in view. He had, he said, besides a special objection—that the Education -office kept the subject in a state of perpetual revolution. These changes, if made at all, ought to be made openly, and not introduced secretly and in silence. Colonel SYKES An d Mr. C. BRUCE supported the motion which was opposed by Mr. lIADFIELD. Mr. LO WE, after some run trk - s in self-justification, reminded the house of the original object of these grants— namely, to aid voluntary local exertions. The question raised by Mr. Adderley, he observed, was whether endow ments should not be regarded as voluntary local contribu tions. The rule complained of was not adopted by the Committee of Council without great consideration or with out reason. They came to the conclusion that endowments were not to be considered as local voluntary contributions. They were not local in their nature ; they might be in Stock or in the Funde. The Government was bound to look to the interests of the taxpayers. He must say, for himself, that he did not desire to see money devoted by will or deed to the foundation of schools for the working poor. Having replied to various objections, he concluded by saying that in deference to the strong feeling which appeared to pervade the house he was willing to accept the motion, and ho sug gested modes in which it might be carried into effect. Mr. G. HARDY made some observations upon the gene ral question, and the motion was then agreed to. Mr. G. CLIVE moved for the appointment of a select committee to inquire into the expediency and practicability of abolishing turnpike trusts. After a few words from Mr. SCOURFIELD and Mr. W. MARTIN, the motion was agreed to. Mr. KINGLAKE moved for copies of papers dated in the years 1850, 1851, 1852, or 1853, relating to the Protocol of Warsaw, or to the Treaty of London of the Bth of May, 1852; and asked whether an answer, dated the 24th of May, 1852, was not addressed by M. de Bills to Baron do Brun now ; and, if ro, whether the same was communicated to her Majesty's Government. He gave explanations of his object in making the motion and the inquiry. Mr. LAVA RD said the papers moved for were volumi• nous ; but he would produce those NO:lick were essential, as well as a copy of the letter referred to. On the motion of Sir S. NORTUCOTE, a select committee was appointed to inquire into the constitution and work ing, and into the success, of the Schools of Art wholly or partially supported by Government grants, or otherwise assisted by the Government, and into the system upon which the sums granted by Parliament for the promotion of national education in art are distributed and adminis tered. On the order for going into committee upon the Court of Justiciary (Scotland) Bill, Mr. W. LESLIE opposed the motion, which, after a short discussion, was carried, upon a division, by 81 to 49, and the house went into committee, when the Chairman was ordered to report progress. The Inclosure Bill and the Bills of Exchange, &c.( (Ire land) Bill were read a third time and passed. The house adjonrned at a quarter before 12 o'clock, • Persons who have been in the habit of paying weekly a borrowers of Sewing Machines will do well to apply at once and become members of Messrs. Watts and Co.'s Sewing Machine Clubs. By so doing they will not only save the money they now foolishly throw away, but at the same time secure to themselves the possession of one of the best and most celebrated sewing machines in the world. Every in formation given on application; or by letter addressed, with a stamped envelope, t o Messrs. Watts an d C o ., 12, Beaufort buildings, Strand, London, W.O , where mem rs are en rolled daily betw een 10 and 4 ; Saturdays, 10 a l:la. ' [ADVERTI B EMENT.]—C onsumpt i on ,. a ll nervous, bilious, liver, and stemach complaints, is every s t age , are only ag,- gravatel and accelerated by drugs of every description, but perfectly curable by Du Barry's health restoring Revalenta Arabica Food, as p roved by thousands o f cases which h a d been considered hop e l ess. We quote a few. —C u re No. 62,914 . Miss Lange, 18 y ears of age, cured after the me dical men had abandoned all hop es o f her recovery from the last stag e o f pulmonary consumptio n, w i th fear f u l c ough, expectoration, exhaustion, spitting o f bl ood, perspira ti on s, hollow cheek s , emaciated to a skel e t on. She is now, t h an k God, a perfectly healthy, blooming, flesh y g i rl.— N . L an ge, Commissaire 4c Police. Cure, No. 46,270 . Mr. James R o berts, of Frinlley Surrey, of thirty ye ars ' di seased lungs, sp itti ng o f blood, li ver derangement, and p ar ti a l deafness.— C ure , No. 47,121. Miss Elizabeth Jacobs, of extreme nervousness , indigestion, gatherings, low spirits, and nervous fancies.—Cure, No. 54,816. The Rev. James T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, of indigestion and torpidity of the liver, which had resisted all medical reatment. In tins, Ilb, 2s 9d ; 21 b , 4s 6cl; Mb, lls ; 121 b, 225; 241 b, 40 s. Barry du Barry and Co., No. 77, Regent-street, London ; also Fortnum and Mason; and all grocers and ehenitAs in every town of the United Kingdom. [ ADVERTISEMEN T.] - 41olloway's Ointment is a wonder ful remedy for erysipelas, varicose veins, gout, or rheuma tism. The deepest ulcerations of the flesh yield to the powers of this unguent with the same readiness and the same cer tainty as the simplest scratch or slightest inflammation of the stcin. The heat and smarting of scalds and burns are checked at once by this soothing application, and the pro cress of the cure, to the sufferer's astonishment and delight, proceeds in its painless course. This important fact should induce every one having the charge of children always to keep this pain-saving application within reach. Holloway's ointment will spare the child torture, and the mother anxiety, SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS , TIMES.—The condition of England seems rapidly returning to what it was in the old times, before the Roman Conquest. If the world means the world of po.itics, we are almost as completely separated from it now as then. Such dismal lamentations and melancholy predictions as Lords Derby, and Ellen borough, and Grey uttered in the House of Lords last night abound on every side, and it seems to be supposed that we are involved in some new and unheard-of calamity. We look around in vain for sympathy or assistance, and have no course left, after a succession of anxious though ineffectual efforts, but to watch the current of events, which have escaped from our direction, in more or less sulky inaction. Nevertheless, for this state of things, so ironically commiserated by our enemies, so ill-acquiesced in by some among ourselves, there is no inconsiderable amount of consolation. There is, after all, a commercial as wall as a political world, and from that world we are not only not shut out, but are becoming more and more its active and thriving centre. If we cannot have our owu way in politics, we, at any rate, possesss a number of good things which no political combination can bestow—wealth, peace, prosperity, and good govern ment. The isolation of wnich our peers complain has not been brought about by any fault or crimes of our own, be: is rather the result of an honest de sire for peace and good will among the nations of the earth, iu which we can find no one to agree with us. Neither is this by any means the first time that such a temporary estrangement has overtaken us, nor, unless we or our Continental neighbours greatly change, is it likely to be the last. The mainspring of our government is different, and our thoughts and aims are diametrically contrary to theirs. It is scarcely likely that we should tread the same path for long together, and our doing so at all must be a mere matter of accident. It is rather more than forty years since England found herself situated very much as she is now, and then, as now, for a cause of which she had no reason to be ashamed. The people of Spain had risen against the wretched King whom our success in the Peninsular War had imposed upon them. The Holy Alliance determined to trample out this first spark of a conflagration, which they foresaw might overrun all Europe. England was at that time under a Tory Government, but she was a free country, and her foreign affairs were under the con trol of Mr. Canning. He did not allow his com posure to be ruff id by the overbearing violence of the Holy Alliance, or by the isolation in which England found herself. He did not feel it his duty to imperil the destinies of the country by embark ing in a war in whicla England's interests were but remotely concerned, and her slender military re sources would have been completely overmatched. He was content to stand aside and let the tempest sweep past him and expend itself. He aeas isolated, but was not dismayed. The Holy Alliance had completely their own way, and swept the apanish patriots before them from the Bidassoa to the Tro radero, as the Germans are doing with the Danes. But it was a barren triumph. The legacy this high-handed proceeding left was civil war to Spain, revolution to France, and eternal obloquy and dis grace to the Powers which constituted the majority at the Congress of Verona. En g land emerged from her isolation unscathed, with character raised and influence augmented. Something similar is taking place now. Those who most loudly bewail our present isolation will be, perhaps, convinced of its necessity and consoled for its continuance when they find, what must soon become evident to the world, that this year has witnessed the most start ling of ad anachronisms, the most violent of all anomalies, in the re-establishment of that very Holy Alliance which it was believed so many years ago had fallen never to rise again, The three eagles of Austria, Russia, and Prussia have met in ominous conclave over the palpitating body of Poland. They have awoke to the sense of a common interest and a common destiny. They are acting in different places and in different ways, but all animated by the same spirit. Prussia and Austria are seeking for unworthy laurels in a shamefully unequal combat with the little Danish nation. Austria no longer withholds her concurreeme from the invasion of Jut land, and has, besides, her own work to do in her own province of Galicia. Russia has placed her army on a war footing; and is approaching the frontier of her two allies, ready to lend her aid, wherever it may be wanted, to load subjected races with heavier and more intolerable fetters. Can it be wondered that there is little sympathy between England and nations so employed, and is it to be regretted that ell community of action between us and such allies is impossible ? But it may he said that if England has no sympathy with the despots leagued together for the overthrow of freedom in the North and East of Europe, she should at least be on good terms with the Liberal party throughout Germany. Alas ! this is also impossible, and this also through no fault of England. We learn from the unguarded conversation of M. Bismark, reported in the papers recently laid before Parliament, that the provinces of Holstein and Schleswig and the harbour of Kiel itself were not the real objects of attack to the confederate forces of Austria and Prussia. Den mark might have retained her German duchy had it not been for the free and liberal spirit of her nstitutions. It was the contagion of Danish liberalism which Austria and Prussia were deter• rained to arrest. They are enemies of freedom in the North just as they were forty years ago the unprovoked destroyers of freedom in the South, and the blood that is shed flows in the ever-renewed and never-ending quarrel between liberty and des potism. But it is entirely peculiar to the present conjuncture that the Liberal party in Germany, false to its traditions and its principles, has given despotism the excuse for this attack upon freedom, and is now hounding on the agents who go forth to propagate the doctrines of arbitrary power to the completion of their odious work. Deluded by the empty jargon of nationalities, and blinded by a childish antipathy of race, the scecalled Liberals of Germany have actually led the way in a crusade against the liberty of Denmark, and sharpened with their own hands the sword which will soon be turned against their own breast. Is it to be wondered at that England should have little sympathy to spare for men who are thus working out their own destruction in the effort to accomplish the destruc• tion of their neighbour ? Isolation may be an evil, but is far less an evil than co-operation with the crafty politicians who have planned this alliance, or the simple dupes who have lent themselves to them as tools for its accomplishment. We have the utmost confidence that these crooked paths will only lead those who tread them to disappointment and disgrace, and are well satisfied to bear a far heavier evil than seclusion from such unjust counsels rather than be accomplices in that sad drama which is being acted by the selfishness of kings and the mad ness of nations. POST.—There are times in which a single election embodies the prevailing feeling of the country, or, as is more frequently the case, concentrates and for cibly expresses the opinion of a party or the inte rests or prejudices of a class. It was so in the elec tions in Dorsetshire and at Nottingham during the Reform Bill crisis; and, later, in the contest for the representation of South Devon, from which Lord Russell retreated to Stroud. Nor can it be denied that the result of the poll which was yesterday de manded in Hertfordshire might, in the actual state of public affairs and the relative position of parties, have been a matter of some moment if the issue to be determined had boen put fully and fairly before the constituency. As, however, the Conservatives have not thought fit to fight the battle on a national field, and with statesman-like objects in view, even if they be able to steal a victory by local finesse— which, as we are advised, is most improbable—it will hardly be worth the cost of its carriage to I the House of Commons. In the elections we have referred to, the Tories, as they manfully called themselves, stood on higher grounds. When Lord Ashley polled Dorset to the last hour of the fifteenth day, he acted up to the chivalrous though mistaken tactics of a great party ; and when that party, organised by the genius of Sir Robert Peel, and inspired by the eloquence of Lord Lyndhurst, returned a political cipher to broadly underline the defeat of the present Foreign Secretary, they were working oat something nobler than the arithmetic of a division. But the Conser vatives now go in for members without regard to principle ; the 'principles they profess are filched from their opponents; and their leaders have not the courage to announce in Opposition the policy they would carry out as a Government. Look at what they are doing in Hertfordshire. This elec tion is, they say, a great party battle. That is how they speak of it to the country. But to the farmers, by whose votes it is to be decided, they offer the re peal of the malt tax—a tax, be it remetnbered,which produces £6,000,000 a year, and they ask these honest men to believe that a Conservative Govern ment would give up that source of revenue, and re place it by direct taxation—that is, by adding five pence in the pound to the income tax. Now, one may almost venture to affirm that Mr. Disraeli has never dreamt of anything so Utopian, that he could not propose it if he would, that he would not if he could, and that, if he could and would, the majority of the Conservative party in both houses would rise in rebellion against him. The truth about this agi tation for the repeal of the malt tax is, that it is supported and countenanced by the Conservatives because they know it is a safe horse to ride and drive. They vote for the repeal, as Liberal members vote with Mr. Locke King, to please their constitu ents or to keep some hustings pledges. But bring their party into office, and they will i m mediately discover that there are insuperabl e difficulties in the way, and will entreat their agricultural friends to be patient till the Government is more firmly seated, or till the wars into which it has been betrayed by the policy of its predecessors are brought to a con clusion. Such is the game in which the Hertford shire farmers are invited to take a hand. They are not supposed to have a thought that rise above a crop of barley, or to entertain an idea that is not connected with their own particular interests. We have before us the ticket on which they are requested to vote, and it contains nothing but malt. While Lord Derby and Mr. Disraeli are watching the war clouds, and prudently counselling the country to keep its armaments in a state of efficiency at any cost, the electioneering emissaries of their party are babbling about impossible reductions of taxation and' copying the extravagant declamation of Mr. Cobden, who has obligingly offered his services, as an experienced workman, in the formation of an Anti-Malt Tax League. And the trick, transparent as it is, may succeed. The farmers may be more simple than we take them to be. But what then ? Will the election of Mr. Surtees throw a bridge across the house, and open up a way for the Con servatives to pass over into the Promised Land? We cannot think that the Opposition stands in need of such a reinforcement. If it can march at all, it can march without this Hertfordshire crutch. Nor will the defeat of Mr. Cowper overwhelm the Go vernment. Lord Palmerston can wait till the arith metical calculations of his opponents are completed before he sends them to the country for review. Still, for the credit of Hertfordshire, we will hope, as we have every reason to believe, that Mr. Cowper will be returned. There can, at all events, be no mistake about his candidature. He avows himself a supporter of the present Administration. While as regards the farmers—inasmuch as Mr. Gladstone has given them far more encouragement to expect that their claims for a remission or reduction of the malt tax will be favourably considered than they have ever received from a Conservative Chancellor of the Exchequer, and, what is more, has offered them an earnest in hand—Mr. Cowper might if he pleased call himself the farmers' friend. But we should be sorry to take his election on such a narrow understanding. We give the electors credit for looking out on what is passing beyond the boun daries of their own county. We had rather think of them as Englishmen than as members of any class in the community: They can have no interests that are not equally the interests of the great body of the people_ They can wish for no legislation that would serve them at the common cost. They must desire, as we all do, what is most conducive to the general weal. We are confident that the honour and prosperity of the country are dearer to them than their barley or their malt, and we cannot think that they will take it a compliment that their votes are solicited on any other considerations than their own intelligence and patriotism should dictate. Shocking Death from Starvation in Bethnal Green. Yesterday Mr. John Humphreys, coroner for Middlesex, resumed, at the Greyhound Tavern, Globe-street, Old Ford-road, Bethnal-green, an investigation respecting the death of Sarah Dove, which occurred under circumstances that involved a serious charge against the parish authorities. The facts of the case, disclosed in evidence on the previous occasion, were as follows deceased was the wife of a casual labourer at the docks earn ing 2s. 6d. a day, and who resided at 6, Royston street, Bethnal-green. There were two children, aged respectively nine and five years. The family paid 2s. 9d.a week rent. The deceased had been for three winters subject to asthma. She had deficient clothing, and no blanket for warmth at night. 0 Ning to her illness, she was unable to earn any money for some time. Last Saturday three weeks she got a medical order for the attendance of Dr. E. Moore, the dis• trict parish surgeon. He found her suffering from want of proper food, warmth, and bed end body clothing. On the following Thurs- day she got worse, and she asked him then to give her an order foe admission into the work house infirmary. The doctor complied, feeling that it was an urgent case for admission. The order was taken to Mr. Christey, the esnior relieving officer, and in the evening he came down to the husband, who had just returned from a day's work, and handed him an order for himself, his wife, and two children to go into the workhouse. Dove said, •' I do not want to let my children go into the workhouse, sir; I can support them and myself by my work ; I only want my wife taken into the in firmary, as she is so bad." Mr. Christey replied " that they should all go in, so that you (Dove) can work in the house to help to support your wife and children." As Dove would not consent, Mr. Chris tey left, and the woman died in her miserable home on the followng Monday. Dr. Moore had given her wine and other relief from a fund at his personal disposal, but at the post-mortem examination Dr. Moore and Dr. Meldola found that there was hardly any disease, and that the woman had, in their opinion, expired from want and privation. The Coroner said that it would only be affectation to pretend to be ignorant of the feud that existed between Dr. Moore and the parish authorities. Consequently, although he had full confidence in the ability and good faith of Dr. Moore, he had felt that it would be desirable that in the present case, which involved a serious imputation o❑ the mode in which the guardians had relief administered to the poor, to get the testimony of another medical man who had no interest in the matter one way or ,he other. Mr. F. G. Gant, F.R.C.S., pathological anato- mist to the Royal Free Hospital, deposed that he had made a post-mortem examination of the de ceased. The body was extremely emaciated ; it prosented a dark appearance from the entire absence of fat. The breasts had dwindled away. The muscles were attenuated to the last degree. l The lungs were healthy in their substance; but there WAS a dilation of the air vessels, which was singular, but of no importance. The heart and all the organs were healthy. In the coarse of his experience he had never examined a more healthy body, or one more attenuated. There was no fat in the abdomen, where some is almost always found. Taking the facts of the case altogether, he arrived at this con clusion—That deceased died from sheer exhaustion, consequent upon continued want of food and cloth• ing, the chief necessaries of life. In other words, she died from stow starvation and exposure. By the Coroner—lf the deceased had been ad mitted to an infirmary a week before her death he was of opinion that she not only possibly, but pro bably, would have rallied, with proper food and clothing, as she was a remarkably healthy woman. Mr. C. Alexander Christey was then sworn, and he said that he was relieving officer of Bethnal green. The case first came under his notice on Feb, 13, when an application was made for an order for Dr. Moore. On the 18th a person came with a cer tificate from Dr. Moore, advising the deceased's ad mittance to the infirmary. He could not find that order now. He asked the person where the hus band was, and was told ho was at work in the docks. He called on deceased, but finding a Scrip ture reader there, he merely asked that the husband should come to him at five o'clock. He went back, and got ready for Dove an order for his admission, and that of his wife and two children to the house. He also got tea and sugar ready for him, but he did not come. Witness went at 7 o'clock and handed Dove the order. Dove said he was sorry, but he did not want to go into the house. Witness said, "I have no desire to force you into the house, but it is my rule and instructions to give all the house; you are an able-bodied man. Go to the house, and the chair will be sent for your wife." He did not present himself at the house, Witness sent next day, but Dove was not at home. Witness sent a ticket, so that if dissatisfied he could go before the board. Ha did not say he only wanted temporary assistance for his wife. The Jury, after a long deliberation, returned the following special verdict :—« That deceased, Sarah Dove, died from the Effc,cts of exhaustion, consequent on continued want of food, clothing, and warmth; and we are of opinion that the hus band has not been sufficiently watchful over his wife, that Mr. Christey was to blame for not having made himself fully acquainted with the deceased's condition on his first visit; that relieving officers ought immediately to give admission to a patient on the recommendation of the medical officer, until the next board day. That in the present case the de ceased died pending the test employed as to her fitness for relief; that in such cases the test of the workhouse is inadequate and not properly adapted to its end, as life has been thereby sacrificed, and the jury request that the coroner forward this ver dict to the Poor.law Board, The Engagement of the Rolfe Krake with the Prussian Batteries, cor EN 7tAGEN, March 3. The following letter has been rt;:leived from an officer who was on board the Danish Opola-ship, the Rolfe Krake, during her engagement v7ith the Prussian batteries at Egernsund. It says : " Nine days ago (Feb. 10) we left the roads at Copenhagen, and sailed, in concert with the Dag mar, to Sonderburg. Our crew only came on hoard the morning of our departure. The men were un practised, and had rarely been under fire. On the evening of the 17th we heard that we were next morning to see what was to be done agiinst a bridge which the enemy had throw❑ across at Egernsund, shortening the route to Broagerland and the posi tio❑ at Duppel. At 7 a.m. on the 18th we left Sonderburg, and steered for Flensburg Bay. You know the appearance of the Rolfe Krake. She has two towers, each carrying two heavy guns; apertures at the top of the tower admit light and kir; mechanical arrangements allow of the ship being lowered until her deck is only a few inches above the surface. "dire passed Holnis without replying to the fire of the bat tery stationed there, and took up the po sition which had been designated. Here we an chored with our broadside towards two fixed bat teries and one movable field battery, which opened upon us a murderous fire with round shot, conical shell, and shrapnel. A tongue of land prevented our seeing the bridge we had been ordered to de stroy. The enemy fired very well. His fixed bat teries were masked, and it is therefore impossible to say how much damage we did him ; but I sent fs couple of shell at a rifled gun that rained conical shot upon us from the heights, and when sheering off bombarded a mill and a house. We returned to Sonderburg after being engaged an hour and a half. " The Rolf Krake stood the trial well. She was hulled 63 times, each shot being of itself sufficient to sink a wooden ship. The towers were hit several times; 16 shots went through the funnel, one through the steam-pipe, three through the foremast, one through the mainmast, two through the mizen, and from 60 to 70 through the bulwarks, small boats, sails, and rigging. The deck is torn up in many places, the tackle much injured, the three boats penetrated ; every vulnerable point was hit, and I should like to have seen any part of the deck where a man could have been stationed without certainty of death. We calculated that about 5,0001 b. of iron were expended upon us, and you may suppose that we contributed our share. The noise was deafen ing, produced as much by our own fire as the mis siles of the enemy, whose shells flew about in all directions. One, which burst directly over the tower i❑ which I was stationed, sent in a shower of pieces which set fire to two mattresses, damaged my frontispiece, grazed my leg, smashed my telescope, and penetrated a coat lying by my side in half a dozen places. lam still deaf of one ear from the din, other wise not much hurt ; one man in each tower was also slightly wounded, and, curiously enough, each in the left cheek." COUNTRY MARKETS. LEEDS—TUESDAY. The show of wheat is not large this week, but there is quite enough offering to supply the most limited wants of our millers, and late rates receded is per qr. Barley ra ther easier to purchase. Very little business was done in oats or beans. LIVERPOOL-TUESDAY. There was a small attendance both of town dealers and country millers at market to-day. Wheat met with a better demand, at last Friday's rates. Flour difficult to move, but nominally unchanged in value. Oats and oatmeal were in retail, at late quotations. Barley and peas met a dull sale, but Egyptian beans wero 6d to 9d per qr dearer. There was very little business doing in Indian corn—American mixed bting offend in vain at 2Ss 6d per 80lbs. MARKET HARBOROUGH—TUESDAY. White wheat, 40s to 458; red, 38s to 42s per 36 stone. Malting barley at 33s to 37s per qr. ;, grinding, 293 to 328 per 30 st. Oats, old, 27s to 335; new, 20s to 24s per 30 st. ; beans, 33s to 40s per qr. SHEFFIELD—TUESDAY. There was a thin attendance of millers to-day, and the show of grain was below tho average. A very dull trade, hut late rates were supported, with a tendency to a decrease in prices. Othor articles as before. Red wheat, per load of 3 imperial bushele,..lss Od to 18s Od , White ~. ..18s Od to 20s Od f New red ..16s 6i to 16s 6d New white „ 11 , ..178 Od to 18s OA II Beans )1 ... 15s 6d to 17s 0 1 Peas, per qr 4os Od to 44s Od Grinding barley, per qr Malting ditto, „ 32s Od to 35s Od Oats • )9 Flour, is 4d to is 8d per 14 lb. DUBLIN— A fair supply of grain to-d, altered. •TUESDAY. lay, and prices not materially s. d. s. d. Wheat, white.. 24 0 to 26 6 Do., red 2l 6 to 24 0 Do., new .... 0 to 0 ) Barley ...... 11 6 to 14 6 Oats ........ 9 0 to 12 0 Do., black.... 0 to 0 s. d. s. d . Oatmeal ere Beans.. . 0 to 0 B ... 0 to 0 Rapeseed .... 0 to 0 Bakers' flour .. 14 0 to 20 0 Indian corn .. 27 0 to 28 0 Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton ..Mar. 20. via 'Marseilles Mar. 14, brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. Mar. 6. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena Mar. 30. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southamptun Mar. 20. via Marseilles Mar. 14 Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton Mar. 13. India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton Mar. 20. via Marseilles Mar. 14. India (Bombay), via Southampton Mar. 13. Portugal.. via Marseille s Mar. 7. .. Mar. 6. Nlalta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Mar. 13, Newfoundla n d via Marseilles M a r. 7. Oporto and Vi go U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet.... Mar. 10 by U.S. packet.... W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and T y eneritfe dian packet.M Mar. 10. Bahamas, vi a N ew York .... Mar. 11. b Canaar. 4. Nlexico Ott Mar. 15. parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, Californi a . an d British Columbia. Mar. 30. CLOCK Woitx IN ENGLAND.--" As a sample of English clock work on a large scale, the works of this are probably the finest finished that have ever been seen in this country—no chronometer could be fitted with more perfect and carefully adjusted mechanism."—Times, June 11, 1862. Cloaks by the first artists of the day for the drawing room, dining room, bed room, library, hall, staircase, bracket, carriage, church turret, railways, warehouse, counting house, musical, and astronomical. Church and turret clocks specially estimated for. Benson's illustrated pamphlet on clocks free by post for two stamps, with descriptions and prices, enables those who live in any part of the world to select a clock. Also a short pam phlet on cathedral and public clocks, free for one stamp. Prize medal and honourable mention in classes 33 and 11. J. W. Benson, 33 and 31, Ludgate-hill, London. Established 1749. Watch and clock maker, by special warrant of appoint ment, to H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. Births. ADAMS.—On the 7th inst., at Barnes, Surrey, the wife of James Adams, M.D., of a son. JOLLIFFE.—On the 4th inst., at Brighton, the wife of Charles Jolliffe, Esq., of 23, Great Cumberland•place, Hyde -park, of a son and heir. KENT.--On Tuesday, the Bth inst., at 1, Campden-grove, Kensington, W., the wife of Charles Kent, Esq., barrister at-law, of a son. TERRY.—On the 6th inst., at Oving, Bucks, the wife of the Rev. Michael Terry, of a son. WOLF—On the 7th inst., at 59, Merchant-road, Bow, the wifo of Charles Wolf, Esq., of a son. Marriages. CARLESS—ROGERS —On the sth inst., at St. Saviour's, Haverstock-hill, Samuel, eldest son of Samuel Carless, Esq., of Portland House, New-cross, Surrey, to Sarah Amelia, eldest daughter of the late Rob rt Rogers, Esq., of Abercrombie Villa, Hampstead. PEMBERTON—GRIPPER.—On the sth inst., at Christ Church, Highbury, William Pemberton, Esq., of Grove Villas, Highbury, to Emma, widow of the late Joseph Gripper, Esq. Deaths. BAKER.—On the 7th inst., Mr. James Baker, of 39, Mount street, Grosvenor-square. BYNG —On the 7th inst., at 45, Hall-street, Goswell-road, Mr. S. J. Byng, aged 67. HILLMAN.—On the 6th inst., at The Cliffes, Lewes, Mr. John Hillman, aged 84. HonNEn.—On the sth inst., at 60, Montagu-square, VV., Leonard Horner, Esq., F.R.S., aged 79. HORNDON.—On the 6th inst., at Exmouth, the Rev. John llorndon, aged 61. HOLT —On the 4th inst., Mrs. E. Helt, relict of the late James Holt, of Hanwell, aged 92. PLANTE.—On the 7th inst., Peter Plante, of 4, Waterloo place, Pall-mall, aged 60. London: Printed and Prbi!shed by WILLIA3I ANDREWS , of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TUE SUN Office No. 112 ; Strand, n the Precinct of the !Savoy, In the Coun'Y of liikbileeez —Wednesday, March 9,.1864.